RE: motivation

From:

"Monson, Frederick C."

Absolutely! But I haven't heard from her yet!
I had great NCO's when I was serving in USMarineland, frolicking on Pleasure
Island, and later, sailing with the Navy. There was no shooting except at
targets, however, and my NCO's walked up and down my back, while I was
supinely prone, until I put a group of 5 right between the 'virtual' eyes at
500 yds. Their rationale was that if I would put up with that kind of
distraction, I could put up with anything. I was far worse offhand and
kneeling, and I could never figure that out. My older son came back from
P.I. years later and had the nerve to razz me for my 'toilet seat'. And I
had written such supportive letters while he was enjoying his generation of
sand fleas.
It was while we "waited in line ________ for our country" that we all
figured out what good leadership was. It was this. The leader we trusted
the most was the person who stood tall between us and his/her(now) commander
AND the one who trained us so well that he trusted us to follow when he
yelled charge and jumped off first. The hardest part of good followership
was when we had to train a second lieutenant in a manner that he would not
recognize. The best officers were those who searched for and latched onto a
good NCO to learn the ropes in a new command. Leaders who changed things
too much, unless things were really bad, had never learned to follow. The
best commander I ever had would explain my shortcomings, extol my virtue and
boot me over the hard parts, smiling happily at me the whole time. He
wanted me to survive, and I knew it.
In civil land, where life is not usually at risk, the best leaders are the
best helpers. You show me a supervisor who will walk into a lab overloaded
with work and clean up a little to lighten it, and you will show me someone
who has made a good start on good leadership. When the father changes a
diaper, washes the dishes, cleans the bathroom or does any dirty job around
the house, he is making a point about good, loving leadership without
mentioning the word or concept.
As we were always told by our Drill Instructors, life beyond the 'Corps' was
hard man, hard!!! In many ways they were correct. I have met a lot of
supers who had a lot of ego to be caressed, and I have never figured out how
to do that. So I'll pass on happy but super-friendless, contented by the
knowledge that there have been so many who have wondered aloud when seeing
my wife's picture at our wedding, "She married you?" I have kept the reason
secret from all others, proving that I have been a constantly good follower
over most of my life.
The best subordinate is one who is never dismayed, but always raised up by
the actions of his/her supervisor. That is something to be remembered.
A classic leader is one who will look at a bimodally distributed subordinate
critique and state, "If you ever have another like this, you'll never do
this job again." I always asked, "Which part didn't you like?"
In memory of the really good bosses I have had, 'Hic finis est!"
Cheers to all who strive to lead well without ever stopping first to learn
what it is to follow well.
Fred Monson
Note: the 'toilet seat' is the lowest of the marksman badges one gets when
one passes. I was NOT a good shot except at 500 yards. While I was among
the worst of 300, my son was second among his 350. He finished as the NCO
in charge of a traveling radar installation worth several million dollars.
He now writes programs for a living and is about to get married. Life goes
on.
Note: I have always thought of Parris Island as 'Pleasure Island', because
I had such a great time while there.
Note: I didn't look this bad when my wife married me.
Frederick C. Monson, PhD
Center for Advanced Scientific Imaging
Mail to:
Geology, CASI
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Schmucker II Science Center, Room SS024
South Church Street and Rosedale Avenue
West Chester, PA, 19383
Phone & FAX: 610-738-0437
eMail: fmonson@wcupa.edu
For help and information only,
The CASI houses:
An FEI Quanta 400 and Technai 12T,
Oxford INCA Energy 400,
Tousimis AutoSamdri 815 and
Olympus FV-300.
-----Original Message-----
From: Vinnie Della Speranza [mailto:dellav@musc.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2003 3:58 PM
To: ckbyrne@exelixis.com; GDawson@Milw.Dynacare.com;
histonet@pathology.swmed.edu; mavery@pcllab.com
Subject: RE: motivation
I've been off the list for the past week and came back just in time for
the excitement. has anyone offered tangible help to GreyTrunk??
Vinnie
Vinnie Della Speranza
Manager for Anatomic Pathology Services
Medical University of South Carolina
165 Ashley Avenue Suite 309
Charleston, SC 29425
Ph: 843-792-6353
fax: 843-792-8974
>>> "Dawson, Glen" 03/12/03 02:35PM >>>
Carrie,
You are right. This dispute between Mike & I will remain off-list.
Apologies,
Glen
-----Original Message-----
From: Carrie Kyle-Byrne [mailto:ckbyrne@exelixis.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2003 1:35 PM
To: Dawson, Glen; mavery@pcllab.com
Cc: 'HistoNet@Pathology.swmed.edu'
Subject: Re: motivation
Gentlemen (please don't make me regret using this term),
Since this has been brought into the arena of the list, I feel the need
to
respond.
First....Mike, I personally wouldn't want to interview with you if you
are
willing to make such broad judgements about someone from reading
rather
sterile email postings. Second.....I agree with Glen (at least on
this
point), that Mike's remarks and name-calling were inappropriate (but
at
least he had the good sense to initially send them off-list).
Third.....Glen, did this really need to be dragged into the forum of
the
entire list? Personally, I simply would have ignored Mike's remarks,
deeming them unworthy of a response. However, I do recognize your
right to
respond to his remarks as you see fit.
Let's not let this get ugly......please.......
Carrie
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dawson, Glen"
To: "Mike Avery" ;
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2003 9:40 AM
Subject: RE: motivation
> Mike,
>
> If you would like to discuss things further outside the work
environment
(in
> person preferably), please let me know. Also, re-read my post below
and
> think about just how inappropriate your comments are.
>
> Glen.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike Avery [mailto:mavery@PCLLAB.COM]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 2:43 PM
> To: Dawson, Glen
> Subject: Re: motivation
>
>
> Glen,
> Try as I may to ignore your comments, I had to respond to
your
latest
> contribution to this server. Glen the world doesn't revolve around
you
and
> I am sure that prior to your hiring, your company did fine without
you.
One
> only needs to read between the lines you wrote to know what you are
about.
> You only further solidify yourself as the resident " cry baby" of
the
> histonet and your employer. I for one wouldn't hire you if I had
multiple
> openings in my laboratory. I wonder what your employer would say
about
your
> loyalty and commitment?
>
> mla
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dawson, Glen"
> To: ;
> Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 1:33 PM
> Subject: RE: motivation
>
>
> > You are a victim of bad timing. Now is not a good time to be a
Histology
> > Supervisor and it will only get worse. An overworked, underpaid,
> > underappreciated worker will always be more difficult to motivate.
If
> your
> > situation is like this, your in for long, difficult journey. If
you are
> > fully staffed, your techs are paid well, and they are shown some
respect
> now
> > and then, fire one of them and I'll come work for you. I believe
that
in
> > the next 5 to ten years, over half of our staff will retire and
we'll be
> in
> > a world of hurt.
> >
> > Glen Dawson
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: GREYTRUNK@aol.com [mailto:GREYTRUNK@aol.com]
> > Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2003 2:15 PM
> > To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> > Subject: motivation
> >
> >
> > I need help!!!
> >
> > I have been a Supervisor here for a year and a half. The problem
is
lack
> of
> > responsibility and motivation. I have tried everything that I can
think
> of
> > to try yo get the employees to understand that we are a team here
for
the
> > benefit of the patients that are waitng for the results of thier
biopsies.
> > Before I came here they hadn't had a supervisor for almost 3
years.
> > The things that I have tried have caused the following responses
from
the
> > employees:
> > "That is childish" - in response to a reward system
> > "She is too direct" - in response to my expectations
> > "She is condinscending" - in response to my staff meetings when
errors
are
> > pointed out
> >
> > Any advice would be greatly appreciated-- I am ready to give up and
I
> don't
> > like to give up.
> >
> > I would prefer to remain anonymous on the list server, but if
anyone
would
> > like to delve deeper, I would be happy to chat outside the list
server.
> >
> >
>
>